Building Networks for Veterans Success National Council on Student Development October 26, 2010

1. Building Networks for Veterans SuccessNational Council on Student DevelopmentOctober 26, 2010 Henry B. Villareal, Ed.D. Dean, Enrollment Services College of San Mateo Mario Mihelcic, Veterans Certifying Official College of San Mateo

2. Overview • Military Veterans and Community Colleges • Post 9/11 GI Bill • Veterans Unique Needs • Transitional Issues • PTSD/TBI • Some Best Practices for Serving Veterans • Q&A / Sharing Your Best Practices

3. White House Summit on Community CollegesOctober 5, 2010(Double click on middle of next slide for video to play)

5. Veterans by the Numbers • Total number of men and women deployed between 9/11/01 and 6/30/09: 1.96 million • Unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is more than 13 percent • More than 100,000 veterans are homeless • 20 percent of Iraqi and Afghanistan war veterans will experience mental health issues such as PTSD and TBI

6. Veteran by the Numbers • California Community College Enrollment • 2008-2009: 22,000 veterans enrolled in community colleges • 2009-2010: over 26,600 veterans utilized education benefits • Also in 2009, more than 8,000 active military enrolled • 2010-2011 it is expected that 34,000 veterans will be enrolled in higher educational institutions with over 80 percent enrolling in community colleges • College of San Mateo • From 2008- 2010 veteran certification increased by 70% largely due to the Post 9/11 GI Bill • Fall 2010: 300 veterans, reservists and dependents enrolled • Fall 2010: 173 Veterans Receiving GI Bill benefits • Fall 2011, 2012, …???

7. Military Veterans and Community Colleges Why Community Colleges? • Open Access • Affordable • Personalized Services • Small Class Size • Remediation • Ineligible to four-year colleges and universities • GI Bill Benefits

8. Post 9/11 GI BILL Eligibility • Served at least 90 days of active duty • 36 months of benefits • Eligible for 15 years after discharge date Benefits Include: • Tuition and Fees • Book Allowance • Monthly Housing Allowance

9. Veterans and Their Unique Needs At College… • Process/paperwork perceived as complex • Too many time conflicts • Lack of funds; Benefits slow to arrive • Motivating beyond collecting on GI Bill • Difficult relating to and connecting with traditional college students • Trivialized view of campus life • Faculty/staff expressed political views • Relearning study skills

10. Veterans and Their Unique Needs …and within the classroom • Sitting next to door • Loud noises can be disturbing • Items on the floor • Frustration/alienation from peers • Frustration with faculty

11. Veteran Transitional Issues • Reservists reenter at community colleges • Rebuilding relationships • Developing a primary identity other than soldier • Move from simplicity to complexity • Replace war with another high • Come to peace with self, spirituality, and others

12. Deployments Source: http://dva.state.wi.us/WebForms/Data_Factsheets/ResDistribution_Jun09.pdf

13. Coming home to an active duty base

14. Military Returning Home Diagnosed with PTSD

15. mTBI and PTSD Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Signature Wound “Walking Wounded” • Injury to the brain cause by an external physical force • Injury causes diminished or altered state of consciousness • Results in problems with physical, cognitive, behavioral, and/or emotional functioning. • mTBI most prevalent type of TBI • Invisible injury • Strongly associated with PTSD and health problems occurring 3 to 4 months after returning home • Military Health System 2003-2007 diagnosed 43,779 with TBI

16. mTBI and PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • Person has been exposed to a traumatic life threatening event • Response to the threat involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror • Military Health System 2003-2007 diagnosed 39,365 with PTSD

17. Comparison of Symptoms: Mild TBI and PTSD Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS/mTBI) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • Depression • Irritability • Fatigue • Headaches • Visual disturbances • Memory loss • Poor attention/concentration • Sleep disturbances • Dizziness/loss of balance • Getting lost or confused • Depression • Irritability • Anxiety • Alienation • Hyper vigilance • Easily aroused, difficult to calm down • Difficult sleeping/concentrating • Interpret ambiguous situations as threatening

18. Institutional Barriers • Lack of integrated services • Institutional policies • Military course credit not accepted • Insensitive faculty and staff • Lack of awareness of veteran issues • Counselors not available for individual appointments • Physical barriers • Other barriers….

19. Some Best Practices Network of Support • Institutional Partnerships • Financial aid liaison • Dedicated counselor for veterans • Psychological counseling • Disabled Student Programs and Services Liaison • Admissions and Records/Veterans Services • Two certifying officials

20. Some Best Practices Network of Support • Institutional Services • Waive physical education requirement • Grant six units of academic credit for military service • Priority registration • Office of Public Safety (campus security) • Group orientation sessions • Information packet for veterans seeking GI Bill certification

21. Some Best Practices Network of Support • Institutional/Personalized Services • On-going support to veterans by the certifying officials • Veterans emergency loan program • Welcome home scholarship • Veterans email distribution list • Veterans website • Veterans Student Alliance • Welcoming message on college website • POW-MIA Flag

22. Some Best Practices • Institutional/Personalized Services • College of San Mateo Welcoming Message Welcome home and thank you for your service! College of San Mateo staff are available to assist you with achieving your educational goals, securing your GI Bill benefits and providing you referrals to organizations dedicated to assisting veterans. To reach a certifying official for veterans’ benefits, please call (650) 358-6856. For more information about CSM Veteran Services, visit our website at http://collegeofsanmateo.edu/veterans/.

24. Veterans Information

25. POW Flag

26. Some Best Practices • Assessment • Veterans Student Satisfaction Survey • Student Learning Outcomes • Number of veterans applying for financial aid • Student Success

27. Some Best Practices • Community Partnerships • Veterans Hospital – Menlo Park • Veterans Resource Center – Redwood City • County Veterans Services Officer – San Carlos • VA Health Clinic – San Bruno • Stanford Vets Connect Program • The Honorable Jackie Speier’s Office • Employment Development Department – San Mateo • East Bay Collaborative – Alameda • Local Reserve Units – Moffett Field

28. Evolving Programs and Services at CSM • Flag Raising Ceremony – Veteran’s Day, November 11 • Psychological Counseling for Veteran Families- Spring 2011 • PTSD/TBI Training for Faculty and Staff- Spring 2011 • Veteran’s Program Coordinator – Fall 2011 • Veteran’s Resource Center – Fall 2011

29. Press Release – Flag Raising Ceremony • COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO • 1700 West Hillsdale Blvd., San Mateo, CA 94402 • collegeofsanmateo.edu • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Mario Mihelcic • Email: mihelcicm@smccd.edu • Phone: 650-358-6856/650-533-5929 • CSM to Honor Veterans at Flag Raising Ceremony • A U.S. flag that was flown during active duty will be raised Thursday, Nov. 11, at College of San Mateo to honor veterans, active military, and all service members as well as their families. Congresswoman Jackie Speier is scheduled to speak at the ceremony set for 11 a.m. at the front of the campus. • Captain Justin C. Erickson, a Foster City resident and son of CSM Business instructor Cynthia Erickson, donated the flag. Captain Erickson has served two tours in Iraq. He was honored with a proclamation by Foster City on Aug. 2, 2010. • The flag will be flown for two weeks, then it will be framed and displayed at the college’s Veterans Resource Center, which is scheduled to open in fall 2011. • About 300 veterans, reservists and dependents of veterans attend CSM. Of those, 179 are eligible for the GI Bill. This is a 70 percent increase since the post 9/11 GI Bill went into effect. CSM pays out one of the highest benefits in the nation under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

31. Other Best Practices • Veterans Education Team Support (VETS) UC Santa Cruz peer mentor program http://stars.ucsc.edu/veteran.php • Boots to Books Citrus College, College success class addressing transitional issues http://www.bootstobooks.org • “Peaceful Warrior” Physical fitness and wellness program Andre Sims, Sierra College asims@sierracollege.edu • Veteran Resource Centers Pilot Program in California funded by State Chancellors Office

32. Resources • Post 9/11 GI Bill: Basic Monthly Housing Allowance Based on zip code of the school and E-5 with dependents http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/bah.html • Department of Veterans Affairs - Education Benefits Informationwww.gibill.va.gov • TurboTapThe official transition program website for Active Duty and Guard/Reserve personnel.www.turbotap.org • VA Palo Alto Healthcare Systemwww.palo-alto.med.va.gov • For more info on your local Veterans Centerwww.vetcenter.va.gov

33. Resources • November is Warrior Care month!Resources ranging from programs to sources of information to ensure you receive the benefits you have earned.http://www.warriorcare.mil • Wounded Warrior Project Comprehensive website assisting injured veterans, the “wounded warriors.” re-adjust. http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ • The American Council on Education website covering topics on veterans education benefits, college selection, and higher education success:http://www.todaysgibill.org • For a multitude of career resources, news, and more try the following web site:www.military.com • College of San Mateo Veterans Services www.collegeofsanmateo.edu/veterans

34. Your Turn! Q&A Contact Information: Henry.Villareal@smccd.ecd Mario.Mihelcic@smccd.edu